


Beat the hell out of you

by LittleSpider



Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bathing/Washing, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Burns, Emetophobia, Exorcisms, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Character, Mind Meld, Non-Sexual Bondage, POV First Person, Reverse Exorcisms, Sick Character, Sick Fic, That got your attention didn't it?, Unrequited Crush, Violence, Vomiting, Whump, adorable air ghoulette, ghoul language, literal bible bashing, non gender specific, spunky fire ghoul, there are not enough synonyms for chittering, wise aether ghoul, you are the main character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 08:06:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15926324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSpider/pseuds/LittleSpider
Summary: The Cardinal hasn't returned home, and his Ghouls are worried...Non-Gender Specific First Person point of view for the second section. No Y/N so have fun!





	Beat the hell out of you

**Author's Note:**

> A very random Discord chat started this...

When The Cardinal had not returned home after an evening out in the nearby city, nobody seemed to mind.

After all a Cardinal comes and goes as he pleases and so long as he performs his duties, it is not anybody else's business what he does with his free time.

The previous Papa's came and went as they pleased.

The First often taking trips to various cities whenever he felt the Wanderlust come upon him.

The Second orchestrating parties and orgies which lasted for days but always reappearing looking as though he was well rested.

The Third tended to be the most likely to go absent but never commenting on where or with whom he had been, much to the Sister Imperator's frustration.

But The Cardinal, whom had always been very much a 'home-bird' so to speak, very rarely left the Ministry unless on official business.

Nevertheless, his absence went unremarked but for the small Air Ghoul whom noticed that he had not been back to his Quarters all night.

By first light the next morning, when his Quarters remained untouched, she had grown quite concerned and with a fierce determination informed the eldest of them all, Aether, that their Summoner and leader, Cardinal Copia had not returned home.

Seeing the look of resoluteness in her eyes, he acknowledged her concern, and pulling on his jacket, organised a search of the Ministry, then the grounds.

Fire, Earth and Water joined Aether in searching leaving the two Air Ghouls to watch over his quarters in case he returned.

The Library, with its labyrinth of towering musty bookshelves yielded no clues. None of the usual tell-tale signs The Cardinal had been there. No empty wine glasses, no discarded books stacked on the table closest to the stained glass window.

The kitchen staff confirmed he had not come back for a bite to eat between meals. The gardener confirmed The Cardinal had not been by at all that day. The housekeeping staff had not found him sleeping off a hangover in one of the other rooms. The Sisters confirmed he had not been by there at all.

And most worryingly, Sister Imperator said with what was an alarming amount of concern that Confession had not taken place that day due to his absence, before adding she was going to need words with him.

By dusk, they had exhausted their search and found no sign of him, and as Aether reported his findings to the shorter Ghoul, found her hard eyes difficult to meet with a lack of good news.She took his coat lapels in her hands, and pleaded that he search outside of the grounds of the Ministry, having a feeling that something was amiss.

Fire began to tease her, asking if she had any romantic attachment for their Summoner but when he was met with a threatening flick of the tail and a hiss from the smaller Ghoul's taller counterpart, he was silent.

Aether had to agree that this was definitely not usual for their studious, and dedicated Summoner.

Looking to the window, where the sun had set and the comfort of twilight had settled, he agreed to take on human glamour and search the nearby city with the others.

 

*

 

"Why..." Fire began, shortly after they had changed in to less obvious clothing, and had walked a little way from the Ministry's gates towards the main road. "...did you allow her to twist your arm into this?"

Aether ignored him and carried on walking through the dense forest that surrounded the Ministry, his hands dug into their pockets as he took long strides through twigs and brambles, followed by his kin.

"You know he is a grown human. Not some child who is too stupid to know when to come home. He's probably fucking some poor woman or man to conversion and having a great time. And I'm out here, in the city, having to look for him just because little Air is in heat for The Cardinal."

"Fire." Aether began. "...If you do not stop whining, I will send you back to hell myself, and you can forget having your pick of the groupies when we reach--"

There was a sound ahead, and Water seemed to hear it first because they paused and grasped Aether's jacket, urging them to stop.

Earth immediately paused as Fire bumped into them.

"...I hear it." Aether confirmed.

Earth knelt, touching the ground with his fingers, and sniffing behind their half mask, breathed:

"...Blood. I smell human blood."

Aether turned and gave the nod to Fire who at once lifted his hand and with a flick of his fingers conjured a fireball that burned and glowed like a torch.

Creeping forwards, the band of Ghouls watched as the forest floor was illuminated a little more with each few steps they took until a figure, slumped on their side, back towards them with slick, dark hair was visible in the flickering light.

Earth crept forwards slowly, sniffing the Air in caution and after catching a scent, looked to Aether.

“...The Cardinal.”

Aether hurried over and turning the body of the man onto his back, saw that it was indeed The Cardinal.

His face was bruised and swollen, red scalds mottled the aged skin of his neck and chest that was exposed from his torn shirt. His lip was split, the make up of his office mere smears clinging to his skin as sweat saturated his pale skin.

“He has been attacked.” Aether breathed, putting his hand against his chest to detect a heartbeat.

The Cardinal groaned feebly, turning his head away from them.

“He's alive.” Water muttered. “...That's a relief.”

Fire looked around, holding out the light from his hand to see if he could see if anyone was still lurking around.

“We need to get him back to the Ministry.” Aether decided.

Without much effort, he pulled The Cardinal into his arms, and held him like a child as he stood and moved to walk back towards the Ministry.

He knew that he risked shunning from his native kin for bearing a Human in his arms like this. But The Cardinal was his Summoner. And he needed his help.

 

*

 

Arriving back at the Ministry, he was greeted by the shorter Air, and her taller Sister who were waiting at the steps.

As soon as she saw Aether carrying the lifeless body of the battered Cardinal, she ran to them, and with her tail flicking agitatedly, stood on tiptoe to examine him.

She looked to him curiously, her head tilting before looking to Aether.

“He lives?” she asked, her quiet voice betraying hope.

He nodded, and continued to walk past her.

“But he is very ill. He requires human intervention.”

At once, his kin behind him all began to hiss and snarl in outrage at the suggestion.

The arguing continued all the way back to the Ghoul's wing where The Cardinal, barely moving was laid on Aether's bed for now.

“We cannot ask the human's for intervention. If they see this, they will think we were responsible!” snarled Fire. “I will not be commuted back to hell as an outcast for this.” he snapped before shoving himself into a chair .

The taller Air Ghoul had her arm around her sister and was comforting her. Beyond the mask, tears were in her eyes, and only she had seen them.

“...Before we jump to conclusions...” She began. “...Are we sure this is not just...some wild night out that ended badly?”

Earth's eyebrows were not visible, but they were raised.

“I do not know human behaviour!” she protested. “I hear that when they are intoxicated, they often do strange things, like mate, fight and even marry!”

The smaller Air Ghoul broke away from her sister and sat on the bed next to him, her head tilting sadly as she reached to take his hand to comfort him as he lay, breathing heavily and raspily, wanting to help him.

He had always been kind to her, and even though the others saw her devotion to him as servitude, she saw it as loyalty, perhaps even Idolatry.

He withdrew his hand as soon as she had wrapped her fingers around it and pulled it weakly towards his chest.

“ _Non lo rinuncio_..” he murmured.

At this Aether walked towards her, and placing his hand on her shoulder in reassurance, knelt beside him, the only one of them all who spoke enough of Human tongue to make himself understood.

“...Cardinal, can you hear me?”

The Cardinal swallowed and tossing his head, tousling his hair even more, turned away from him again, the glimpse of a silver chain that he did not recall seeing The Cardinal wear before catching his interest as he repeated. “... _Non lo rinuncio...”_

Aether reached to inspect the chain, the only clue they had to why The Cardinal was this way and as his fingers made contact with it he suddenly hissed, withdrawing his hand as it it had been burned.

A red burn mark patterned across his grey toned fingers. Scales appearing around it rapidly to begin healing.

Urgently, Aether tore open The Cardinal's shirt to expose the chain more and revealed a silver Crucifix.

Fire growled at it and prepared to tear it from The Cardinal's neck before Water grabbed his brother's wrist to stop.

Aether wrinkled his nose in distaste for it.

“This is the work of a church.” remarked Water coolly, releasing his brothers hand, looking to Aether. “Isn't it?”

Aether looked to The Cardinal and then sighed, sitting.

“It seems to be.” he remarked, looking at him. “...I cannot imagine he would allow anyone to place one of those around his neck willingly.”

He looked to the burn on his hand, and then the Crucifix.

“I have seen this before. They would try and force Satan from the bodies of his devotees, by forcing them to wear religious icons and relics. Starving them, beating them to death. So much was their desperation to rid His Infernal Majesty from the vessel in which he inhabited, that they often killed the person. Better dead, than damned, or so they believe.”

The smaller Air Ghoul got up from the bed and pushed through her kin, and out of the room.

Her sister called after her, but she did not stop.

She could not stand by and allow this.

 

*

You'd been asleep for a good hour by the time the sound woke you.

Loud, booming knocks on your door.

It had to be one of the Sisters, or Brothers looking for some help. Possibly locked out of their dorm, having a crisis of faith, or wanted to borrow something until they could find theirs.

When you got to your feet, and pulled on your dressing gown, the knocking continued.

“Alright!” you bellowed. “Keep your hair on!”

As you opened the door to snap at the person who'd woken you, you found yourself face to face with the smaller of the female Ghouls. Cardinal Copia's Ghouls.

_Fuck._

You stepped back.

“...Hi...?” you began, not sure how to really address a Ghoul. They'd never really been seen outside of their dormitories, or grounds. And never really made the effort to get to know the rest of the Clergy and Ministry's staff. But this one seemed keen to speak to you.

Their head tilted, the silver of the mask moving and reflecting the candle light. Their fingers, flesh coloured as they maintained Human form, were fiddling together nervously and they stepped back away from you, as if worried.

“...Can you talk?” you asked. “...Are you allowed to talk?”

They tilted their head again.

You weren't even sure if they understood you. Ghouls, aside of the tallest one, the Aether Ghoul, never spoke in public.

“...Are you looking for someone else?” you tried again, looking down the hall to see if anyone else had been woken up by the Ghoul before you.

The Ghoul was starting to get restless now as they moved back towards you, then away again, looking towards the rest of the staff quarters and tilting their head.

“...You want me to follow you?” you asked, trying to understand.

This, they understood and nodded urgently.

Of course they understood you. They understood Copia, right?

You sighed and put on your slippers so you wouldn't freeze to death on the cold stone floors and followed.

You were following behind, wondering if this was some sort of Ghoul Rite of Passage, to get some unsuspecting Ministry member and get them involved in a practical joke when you realised the Ghoul was leading you to the Ghoul dorms.

You stopped immediately.

_Why the fuck were you going there?_

The Ghoul noticed you weren't following and turning around, tilted their head inquisitively.

“...Why are we going to the Ghoul dorms? We don't go in there. You know that.” you replied.

Immediately, the Ghoul stamped their foot, and for a moment, you saw their skin shift grey as their eyes glowed a powerful white before slipping back into their human form.

_Okay...she meant business..._

You carried on following, preparing your excuses to Sister Imperator and The Cardinal for why you were fucking around in the Ghoul's quarters when they led you to a cell and pushing open the door, you saw the others, crowding around a bed.

They were hissing, snarling and growling at one another, tails flicking, coiling and whipping.

You had no idea what they were saying, but this was a heated debate, no doubt and it was only when the Ghoul you had followed made a clicking noise, they all stopped and turned to face you.

You were terrified.

The Fire Ghoul wheeled on the smaller Ghoul, chittering rapidly and hissing before the taller Air Ghoul put her arm around her shorter sister Ghoul and leaning into his face hissed threateningly.

Finally, the Aether Ghoul who you knew by reputation turned to you and said in a voice that sounded like an echo in a dark room:

“It seems that our sister made the decision for us.”

He stepped back from the bed, and the others followed suit to reveal The Cardinal.

Battered. Beaten up. Feverish. Covered in sweat and dirt.

“...Holy fuck...” you murmured and moved forwards.

The Fire Ghoul leaned in and clicked threateningly at you before the Earth Ghoul, their knees covered in dirt and twigs jabbered rebukingly towards them.

You recoiled, confused.

_Why the fuck had you been brought here if they just wanted to chew you out?_

Aether at once clicked once, loudly and they all silenced. He then jerked his head to indicate you could go forwards.

You moved forward with caution and kneeling next to the bed, put your hand against his forehead.

He was burning up. Sweating. It was like he was fighting a fever, but these bruises. They were weird.

He looked like he'd had hot oil flicked at him, he'd been punched and beaten with something with a hard edge, his nose was bloody on the inside, and...was that a fucking crucifix.

You picked it up and with a sharp tug removed it from his neck, snapping the clasp before throwing it behind you.

The Cardinal's eyes rolled open and you saw that his white eye was misted over, a translucent green beneath the white.

“Cardinal.” You began. “...Can you hear me?”

He weakly grabbed for your wrist.

“. _..Brucia...Brucia...Mi Brucia Dentro..._ ”

You spoke a little Italian, serving the Ministry, you had to and nodded in sympathy.

“What happened, Cardinal?” you asked, brushing the damp hair back, away from his face, noting in the absence of his make up, that he looked so much older.

“ _...Vogliono che rinunci a lui. Non lo...farò...Lui è lo splendore e la luce...senza cui non posso vedere_...”

You didn't understand, but you knew he was hurting.

“...The church did this...” Aether began. “...They put that filth on him to weaken him, and they have done things...I know what these people are capable of. I have seen it.”

“Aether..?” you began uncertainly. Unsure if that was even how you addressed him. When he raised his head, you knew you had done it correctly. “...is it true you can read minds?”

He gave a snort behind his mask as the Fire Ghoul muttered behind him.

“Reading minds is for Human women who look at leaves for clues on the future.” he replied derisively. “If you wish for me to enter his mind and review what is on it, I can do that—if he lets me.”

Again, The Fire Ghoul reared up and clicked impatiently before chittering urgently.

This time, the Water Ghoul joined in, gesturing to the chain on the ground, then to The Cardinal.

Aether responded more stead before Fire hissed again threateningly, Water backing away and deciding he was done arguing, but Aether dismissed him with a final click.

Throughout, you saw the smaller Air Ghoul who had called on you for help watching the conversation with concern.

The Aether Ghoul moved forwards and leaned in close to The Cardinal.

“...Cardinal, I must enter your mind. Do you accept?”

The Cardinal groaned weakly and nodded.

“...Accolgo con favore il potere oscuro dentro di me.”

The Aether Ghoul's hands changed from human fingers to Ghoulish claws, but the talons became transparent, their hardness and colour becoming smoke.

And closing his eyes, he sunk them into The Cardinal's temples.

The Cardinal's eyes opened, grey obscuring iris, pupil and whites.

The Aether Ghoul's eyes opened next, an exact mirror of The Cardinal's. Green, and white.

The pair stared into each others eyes intensely, the Aether ghoul's mask twitching occasionally as you watched, hungry and morbidly curious for answers.

Wondering if you should have just alerted Sister Imperator and gone back to bed.

But finally, the Aether Ghoul released The Cardinal's forehead from his grasp, and closing his eyes, breathed unevenly.

“...He is contaminated.” he grunted, his voice shaking. “...He was travelling to collect a book from an occultist...they were waiting for him, an ambush. They bound him with that...” he said, pointing his now solid finger at the crucifix. “...and knocked him out. Tied him up with rope, and demanded he renounce his infernal majesty, when he declined, they almost drowned him in a font of holy water, trying to drown the devil from him, he resisted.” he swallowed, sitting as Earth pushed down on his shoulders to make him rest. “...when they could not get him to yield...they beat him with the bible to knock the evil out of him. Splashing him with consecrated oil...fed him sacramental wine and wafers...He managed to work through his binds using lesser magick, and escaped. Made it to the Ministry grounds on foot, before succumbing to his injuries and collapsing.”

He looked to you, his eyes now completely as they were before.

“...He's fighting it.”

The Air Ghoul rushed to you, and clutching at your arm, looked to you with pleading eyes before looking to the Aether Ghoul.

“She believes you are able to help. And wants you to do whatever you can to do...”

You had no idea where to start.

You were just staff.

You knew enough about the Ministry to help, but reverse....exorcisms?! What the fuck was that?!

“Papa Nihil—“

Earth made a light trilling sound followed by a hiss.

You knew that was some sort of, bad sound.

Aether gave a faint rasp of laughter.

“He said that Nihil will probably encourage that Copia fights this alone, to prove his worth.”

Admittedly, he was right.

You shook your head hopelessly.

“I really have no idea what to suggest. All we can do is try and reverse this. But, if it doesn't work, we go and get Papa Nihil.”

There was dissent in the group. Earth scuffed their filthy shoes, and the taller Air Ghoul inclined their head towards Water who shrugged.

“...I mean it. I'm not taking the blame if he dies.” you continued.

Aether agreed on their behalf.

“Agreed. You have until sun up.”

You took a deep breath and looked to Aether.

“...A bowl of water from the font in the chapel, a cloth, a bucket, some consecrated wine, and The Cardinal's personal Grucifix pendant, and stole.”

Aether looked up to the Ghouls, chittered then clicked with a jerk of his head and they went to work.

All except the smaller Air Ghoul who was looking at you as though you'd saved her life.

“...Can you help me dress him down to his underwear?” you asked hopefully.

Her claws shredded The Cardinal's already torn clothing in seconds, slicing through the seams as though they were butter and soon the pile of dirty clothing was in a heap beside the bed.

The Cardinal's body was younger looking than you expected. Less toned than it appeared on stage with his tight clothing, but more lean than chubby, except for the pockmarked stomach that bore the signs of The Cardinal's fondness for Pasta.

The various scars on his shoulders were old, and some newer, but all were healed, or healing and aside of the marks where the sacramental oil had hit him, he seemed alright.

Just his face took the brunt of it.

He looked awful.

The Air Ghoul placed her face close to The Cardinal's and warbled and trilled softly to him, speaking quietly and kindly in her own way whilst the Aether Ghoul got to his feet and made himself a drink to recover from the time in The Cardinal's mind. He lifted the balaclava, away from you so you could not see, and took a swig from a bottle of amber liquid.

The Air Ghoul was combing The Cardinal's hair back as she spoke in a language you could never even hope to emulate, let alone to understand and it seemed to soothe him as he opened his eyes vaguely and looked up into her silver face.

“...She is singing him a song that is sung to kits on our plane...” Aether replied, answering a question you hadn't yet asked. “...It is a song that reassures the kits that though things seem painful, there are lessons in the pain.”

The Cardinal's eyes fluttered closed again and she tilted her head sadly towards him.

“...She likes him?” you asked.

“Not in the same way you might.” The Aether Ghoul replied, pulling down the mask again and turning to you. “...Ghoul affection is _different_.”

Water was first to arrive back with the cloth and bowl of water. The font had water drawn from a well from which an unbaptised infant had once been thrown.

The locals refused to use it and condemned it, which left the Ministry with it's own supply of unholy water.

Earth returned soon after with consecrated wine, taken from the Vestry which he placed down beside you and winked.

 _Weird_.

The taller Air Ghoul returned with The Cardinal's Grucifix pectoral chain, and the stole. It was deep red with Grucifix's embroidered into the bottom. She handed it to you.

Finally, Fire returned with a bucket and put it next to you.

You took the cloth, and dipping it in the water, began to wash The Cardinal's skin with it.

He groaned uncomfortably as you worked the water over the worst of the burns. Getting the oil off was difficult, but as you ran the cloth over the skin, the redness lessened until it seemed to be no more than red splotches of skin. Faded sunburn in colour.

You rinsed the cloth, and wringing out the excess, ran the cloth over his face next.

He grunted as you went over the worst of the bruising, and lifted his hand weakly once or twice to resist you.

The Air Ghoul, who had clung to you like glue took his hand and held it in her own. You met her eyes through the mask, and they seemed grateful.

Even Fire had not dared speak against this. Which meant you were doing something right at least.

Once the sacramental oil had gone from his skin, and the marks had lessened in redness, you handed the bowl to the Water Ghoul and thanked him.

Next came the need for the bucket.

You placed it next to the bed, and took the wine, pouring it into the empty glass that was on the cabinet next to the bed, you touched The Cardinal's cheek.

“...Cardinal, I need you to drink this.”

He looked to the wine in the glasses and shook his head.

“Non di nuovo. Non piu. Per favore...”

“...I apologise, your dark eminence, but it's essential you drink this.” you insisted, looking to the Fire Ghoul, catching his eye and hoping he got where you were gonna go with this.

He caught on immediately and walked towards the bed.

“Ti prego. Non piu...” The Cardinal whimpered, looking to the Air Ghoul beside him for assistance.

She tilted her head sadly towards him, but did not yield, holding his hand a little tighter.

The Fire Ghoul helped The Cardinal sit up as you lifted the glass and poured some into his mouth.

He choked on it, swallowing down a good mouthful before you poured the next mouthful in.

Aether's tail coiled uncomfortably as Fire's snapped urgently. Hoping to get this over with.

As soon as he had drunk it, Fire got ready with the bucket and within seconds, The Cardinal was throwing up into it, spraying the poor Ghoul with half digested host wafers and two contrasting colours of wine that refused to mix in the bucket. Swirling like oil on top of water.

You looked to the Ghoul and he sighed heavily before putting down the bucket noisily and leaving to change.

The Air Ghoul was trilling the song quietly again, combing back her Summoner's hair kindly, gently as he lay back down into the bed, sweating, but now much more alert.

The more of the toxins left his body, the more he recovered.

At least you were going the right way about doing this, it seemed.

You took the Grucifix, and although it was not possible for him to wear it as a necklace, wrapped the length of silver around his neck, with the cross balancing on his chest.

He took comfort in it, his hand moving absently towards it as he glanced up at the Air Ghoul, meeting her eyes and smiling faintly.

He seemed to be comforted by her.

Finally, the last test came.

Fire had returned in new clothing with a scent of burned fibres which made you wonder if he'd just set himself ablaze to get rid of the contaminated ones and the rest of the Ghouls were studying you with keen interest.

Amusingly, both Water and Taller Air's tails were swaying in perfect unison.

You looked to the Air Ghoul sat before you. She was your wing-woman right now. If you made a thing out of reverse exorcisms and you became the Van Helsing of this Ministry, you were gonna hire her because she was doing amazing.

“...I need you to trust me, okay?”

She nodded, indicating she understood.

You took the Stole, the red length of fabric and ran it over your arms before trying to pick him up.

Aether moved to help you, and as he got the exhausted, beaten Cardinal half sitting, you wrapped the stole around him twice. Tightly, binding him with it.

At once The Cardinal groaned and wailed as though he was a man on Fire.

He fought against the bind you had him in as though it were made of iron and barbed wire and cried out, tears welling up and shedding in the blackish blue bags under his eyes.

The smaller Air Ghoul's tail was flicking urgently in distress as her Sister moved forwards to comfort her.

You wrapped your arms around The Cardinal and began to chant, in his ear:

“Il padre, Il filio, Et lo spiritus malum, Omnis caelestis, Delenda est...”  
You were soon joined by several other voices around you:

“Anti Cristus, Il filio de Sathanas, Infestissumam!”

The Cardinal cried into your shoulder like a child, pathetically weeping as you held him tight, embracing him to you as you chanted in his ear, releasing him of the torments he had endured.

“Il padre, Il filio, Et lo spiritus malum, Omnis caelestis, Delenda est...”

“Anti Cristus, Il filio de Sathanas, Infestissumam!”

“Il padre, Il filio, Et lo spiritus malum, Omnis caelestis, Delenda est...”

“Anti Cristus, Il filio de Sathanas, Infestissumam!”

Finally The Cardinal breathed out thickly and went limp in your arms.

The Aether Ghoul pulled him away from you as blood poured from his nose.

The Air Ghoul made a cry of fear and reached for him before her Sister stopped her.

Wiping the blood away, you leaned in, trying to hear if he was breathing.

Fire looked over Water's shoulder as Aether looked down at you, waiting for the verdict.

“...He's alive...” you confirmed before laying him on his side, bound in the Stole. “...I think, we should let him sleep it off here, and...we'll see how he is in the morning, alright?”

“Good idea.” Aether agreed. “You go back to your room, I will wait with him.”

You shook your head.

“Hell no. You think i'm gonna let you claim the credit?”

The Aether Ghoul made an amused huff and shook his head.

“Stay...if you dare.”

 

*

 

As it happened, nobody left the room that night.

Fire fell asleep after sitting against the wall in the corner, his head resting on his shoulder. Water made himself useful by tidying up, then coming back and settling next to Air who had fallen asleep first by sitting against the fireplace. Aether had last the longest aside from yourself and the smaller Air Ghoul and had drank a little more before falling asleep in the armchair where Earth had curled up against a while before.

Air Ghoul had tucked her hand into The Cardinal's for comfort before resting with her head on the bed.

And you had fallen asleep last of all, in the other chair.

The dawn's rays woke you. The slither of light from the curtains that were not quite drawn bore into the thin skin of your eyelids, and you were awake, shielding yourself from them.

Immediately, you remembered the events from a few hours before and looking to The Cardinal saw the the bruising had faded, almost impossibly fast.

He was Human, no Human healed that fast, not even ones with Satan on speed-dial.

You stood, trying not to wake any of the Ghouls around you who amazingly had retained most of their human glamour despite being asleep, and leaned over to check The Cardinal over.

He was breathing comfortably, his skin less mottled and damaged, even the split in his lip looked less severe.

He was healing.

_You'd done it._

You stroked a strand of the hair from his nose and his eyes snapped open, the left one as stark and as white as it had been before, no translucency. Completely his own.

“...Cardinal...” you whispered. “...Do you remember what happened?”

He blinked a few times and looked back up at you.

“Yes...” he whispered in English, now. “...I remember.”

You didn't know whether it would be impertinent to press him further, but it seems you didn't need to.

Glancing down at the binds he was in, he raised an eyebrow and looked to you.

“...Your work?”

You nodded with some hesitation. Granted, you'd saved his life, but you'd taken a fair few liberties in the process.

“Is inspired.” he remarked, looking to the Air Ghoul that was holding onto his hand in her sleep. “...very inspired.”

“...You should rest, Your Dark eminence,” you began, “You've been very sick and you need to recover...”

He undid the cloth around his body, still holding onto the Air Ghoul's hand and lay back, sitting up a little.

It was only when you did you saw that the Air Ghoul's hand was emitting a soft white light that you realised, she had been trying to heal him...all night.

“...She's healing you?”

He nodded lifting his hand to show the glow between the two palms pressed together.

“Air Ghouls have a need to nurture and can heal their kin if they need to.” he explained quietly. “...It seems this one thinks of me as kin, uh?”

You nodded, seeing how comfortable The Cardinal seemed, holding her hand as she slept. It was something you never considered possible for the usually awkward and aloof Cardinal, but he must have been needing the comfort.

“...I'm glad you are feeling better, Cardinal.”

He wasn't listening, he was gazing around at the Ghouls laying sleeping around him, a bemused smirk tugging at his lip.

“...Get some rest.” you said, standing

He looked back to you, and using his free hand, reached out to take yours.

“...Thank you. For helping purge me of that filth.”

“No problem...” you reply, suddenly not able to meet his gaze.

He nodded, thoughtfully before releasing your hand.

You decide to leave The Cardinal, and his Ghouls to their own devices, very glad you weren't next in line for the Papacy.

 

 

 


End file.
